Mayson: updated Legal Services Act needed to “finish the job”
A successor to the Legal Services Act 2007 is urgently required to build on the Act’s successes and to iron out the problems that have emerged since, according to a leading market commentator.
SRA to focus on individual regulation and professionalism, Philip says
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) will focus more on individual regulation and less on firms in the year ahead, chief executive Paul Philip has said.
Welsh government launches review of legal sector
The former head of client relations at Eversheds has been commissioned by the Welsh government to review the legal sector in the principality. Solicitor Kevin Doolan has been tasked with identifying opportunities to increase investment and employment
Solicitor who is not an advocate sets up one of first BSB entities
A firm set up by Mark Johnson, a solicitor and former partner at Geldards, is among the first dozen entities to be named today as regulated by the Bar Standards Board. He did it because of access to Bar Mutual indemnity insurance and the Bar’s “simpler and more transparent” rules.
Second time lucky for top accountants after “hell” of dealing with SRA over ABS bid
Sir Michael Snyder, senior partner of top 20 accountants Kingston Smith, has welcomed a change of approach to multi-disciplinary practices at the Solicitors Regulation Authority after describing the “sheer hell” of the firm’s first attempt to become an alternative business structure.
Court of Appeal warns solicitors over standards of ‘commoditised’ services
Economic pressures forcing solicitors to ‘commoditise’ their advice “throw into sharp focus the need for standard form letters of advice to be clear in their exposition”, the Court of Appeal warned yesterday.
Hopper roasts SRA over its tendency to assume the worst in solicitors
The leading specialist solicitor in regulation matters yesterday urged the Solicitors Regulation Authority not to approach law firms with the worst possible assumptions and warned it was driving a wedge between the regulator and the profession.
Jackson: ‘Professional negligence’ could disappear as attitudes to professionals change
Professional negligence as a discrete body of law could disappear if restrictions on the liability of professionals continue to be swept aside as social attitudes towards them also change, Lord Justice Jackson has predicted.
More solicitors but fewer firms and partners, Law Society survey shows
The trend towards fewer, bigger law firms and fewer partners is continuing, despite increasing numbers of practicing solicitors, the annual Law Society statistical report has confirmed.
Slater & Gordon hits £456m share target to fund Quindell acquisition
Slater & Gordon has hit its target of raising £456m from a share issue to fund its acquisition of Quindell plc’s professional services division. Around 70% of the £637m initial purchase price is being funded through new shares, with the rest through bank debt.
